New monuments could change Roswell City Hall

Woods behind complex may become town green

The Roswell Rotary plans to build several memorials and markers on the grounds of Roswell’s City Hall dedicated to the wars in which America has fought. It may become part of a new town green instead of woods.

“We feel like it would be the perfect place for it. We have a World War II monument there that was moved there six years ago.”

Roswell is already the site of one of the largest Memorial Day ceremonies in the Southeast, which takes place around the Faces of War memorial.

Roswell Councilman Rich Dippolito said he and his Blue Ribbon Committee, which is an advisory committee on business community issues, have been trying to give City Hall more of an active role in the Canton Street experience.

“We were talking about walkways through City Hall,” Dippolito said. “Is there an opportunity to do something here beyond just some walkway?”

So he went to the Rotary for ideas and found out they were starting to think about the Walk of Valor.

“At that point, it became pretty obvious we should pool our thoughts together and create something pretty exciting for the city,” said Dippolito.

As the site of memorial ceremonies throughout the year, the woods behind City Hall mark a clear boundary between the complex and Ga. 9’s traffic, but also to Canton Street.

Dippolito said that, while it is a quiet and serene area, it also creates challenges to redeveloping south of City Hall.

“Although it’s very nice and very pleasant, it acts like a barrier to what’s going on in Canton Street,” he said. “It’s a delicate balance between having a memorial where you respect and honor the people who fought in those wars and having an area that is active that will bring some life and vitality to that part of town.”

Dippolito said he would like to see the area transformed into a town green, where events can take place in an open setting. He said not only would that create a more vibrant atmosphere in the area, it would also open City Hall up to Canton Street’s events.

The Walk of Valor portals are expected to cost about $25,000 and will be funded entirely through private money. McCleary said Georgia Power has already donated $5,000 to the fund.

Along with the portals, McCleary said Rotary intends to install up to eight small markers, each dedicated to a war in which Americans fought. These markers have not yet been designed.

“We feel it’s a great opportunity to identify those wars,” McCleary said. “It can be used for students and for history. And it ties in perfectly with the Faces of War memorial that’s already there.”

Of added importance to McCleary and his fellow Rotarians is that these portals would bear the seals both of the city of Roswell and of Rotary.

“This would be the first permanent location where our seal would be in the city,” McCleary said. “We’re kind of excited about that.”